1. On January 29, 1845, the University of North Carolina System was established. It is now the oldest public university in the United States, with the flagship campus located in Chapel Hill.
2. In 1960, four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University began a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro. This sparked a wave of similar protests across the country and helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
3. The birthplace of legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt is located in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Earnhardt won seven Cup Series championships before his tragic death in 2001.
4. On January 29, 1919, North Carolina became the 18th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
5. In 1986, the movie "Blue Velvet" premiered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The film was directed by David Lynch and starred Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini, and is now considered a cult classic.